By John A. C. Cartner

It seems that the Transportation Security Administration has yet again a new rule. In order to get a Transportation Worker’s Identification Credential or “TWIC” the applicant must present a US passport. As my long-suffering readers know, I am no fan of the TSA. I saw the announcement of this seismic change in the back pages of several trade journals. My first reaction was that the TSA had made yet another irrelevant change in the government’s most irrelevant organization.

By John A. C. Cartner

Recently it was announced that the US Marine Corps was contemplating deploying US Marines on foreign-flag ships. This will not do. The second Bush administration pushed the hiring of mercenaries to the furthest extent in Iraq and Afghanistan. They were called “contractors.” Americans have had distaste for mercenaries since the Hessians. In doing so that administration essentially broke the back of proper state function in war and the Westphalian monopoly on state violence valid since 1648. An unintended consequence of these acts has been the development of an attitude that the government can contract out anything on the world market. This reinforces the attitude existent that the DoD use United States flagged ships only when it must after tortuous and complex arguments against them and then only when publicly exposed and compelled thereafter to use domestic tonnage. This is not the first time this show has come down the road. In the current political climate it will not be the last.

Maritime TV 'Conversations with Cartner'A weekly discussion on maritime industry issues of the day with Shipmaster and Maritime Lawyer, Dr. John A.C. Cartner.

The opinions expressed by Dr. John A.C. Cartner in the ‘Conversations with Cartner’ Video Series and accompanying blogs are the opinions of Dr. Cartner and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and management of Maritime TV, or its parent network, TV Worldwide, Inc.